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Sunday, August 31, 2014

This event calls each one of us to do our part to combat the climate crisis. We have to get beyond the dire scientific predictions warning us about rising seas and devastating drought. It is time for hope, time for us to realize that we have a choice to do something about the climate crisis. It is time for us to act. This movement encourages people to "dedicate a day for action." This can include anything from voting to marching to speaking out in your community.

This event will take place on December 7 - 11 2014, Orlando Florida, Orange County Convention Center. Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo 2014 is breaking out of the vertical energy mindset and dividing up the renewable energy marketplace by size, application and region.

Cutting-edge conference sessions will cover the most
pressing trends in renewable energy, giving you all the information you
need to solve real problems and explore real opportunities in renewable
energy.

The 10th Annual Sustainable Ag Expo will take place November 17-18 at the Madonna Inn Expo Center in San Luis Obispo, California.

The theme of the 2014 Sustainable Ag Expo is “Balancing Water, Soil, and Nutrient Resources for Long Term Sustainability.” The Expo will explore ways of creating conditions that grow healthy plants in balanced systems, which require fewer inputs.

The Sustainable Ag Expo was launched in 2004 by the Vineyard Team. The goal of the Sustainable Ag Expo is to share information across crop types on important topics such as energy and water conservation, holistic management, integrated pest management and soil management.

This event will take place on October 6 - 8, 2014 in Austin, Texas. SXSW Eco will take place over three days and feature more than one hundred inspiring sessions and more than three hundred top-level speakers. SXSW Eco attracts a global community to explore, engage and co-create solutions for a sustainable world.

This event will take place on September 25 - 26, 2014 at the Aqua Tower in Chicago. With five hundred EH&S, Sustainability, Risk and IT professionals from the world’s largest corporations, over fifty sessions and countless opportunities to network with your peers, the Sustainable Performance Forum (SPF) Americas 2014 is the can’t-miss event of the year for future and existing Enablon Users across the Americas and Australia.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

The Executive Master’s for Sustainability Leadership at Arizona State University is an accelerated program that is designed for professionals working anywhere in the world.
The solutions-based and outcomes-focused curriculum is focused on strategy,
global context, communication and leadership.

Watch this student and staff perspective on the Masters Degree program at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT). In this video students and staff share their views on what it is like to study renewable energy, architecture, sustainability and adaptation at CAT. They explain some of the unique features of a CAT MSc. Masters Degrees at CAT are structured around a series of residential modules, meaning the courses tend to ferment a unique collaborative environment.

This short documentary reveals the tragic health costs of the electronics industry in China. Workers toil 15 hours a day, seven days a week. In the process, they and their offspring are poisoned by chemicals.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Epidemiologist Christopher Golden has conducted research which has quantified the relationship between environmental trends and human health. Golden's research has specifically revealed a connection between disease and degraded biodiversity. His research not only demonstrates how environmental trends affect our health, he shows how the right interventions can solve problems for both sick people and sick ecosystems.

"The health of our planet can have powerful effects on the health of people.
Understanding that complex relationship has never been more critical," Golden says.

His research demonstrates how changes in the environment can have a tangible impact on human health. He has elucidated the interrelationship of unsustainable hunting and adverse health impacts in Madagascar. He was also able to demonstrate that sustainable practices contributed to health. This approach is currently being used to explore how climate change is impacting the oceans which in turn impacts.

Presidio Graduate School’s MBA program prepares students to deal with the complex and interdependent issues that define sustainability. This includes climate change, cleantech, stakeholder engagement and social responsibility.

This MBA degree connects rigorous management theory and practice with ecological and social awareness, systems thinking and sustainable leadership. Their MBA curriculum weaves these elements together to empower students to become effective leaders, change agents and entrepreneurs in the service of a more just, prosperous and sustainable world.

Funk's book exposes companies that position themselves to profit from a warmer world. Such opportunists welcome climate change as a gateway to tremendous profits.

He cites, Deutsche Bank's investments in climate mitigation technologies while pointing out that their "Climate Change Fund," includes companies that are banking on a warmer world. As explained by Funk, "the warmer the world...the bigger the windfall."

We
may be able to leverage the threats posed by environmental
degradation in a way the could contribute to human health and
galvanize action on climate change. The deteriorating state of our
environment has prompted research that shows how the preservation of
the natural world augments our physical and mental well being. Adverse
health impacts from climate change combined with the benefits of a
healthier natural environment may be the best inducement we have to
catalyze action.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

In an effort to bypass obstructionist Republicans the Obama administration is working on an international climate deal that does not require the approval of the Senate. A legally binding treaty would require the approval of two-thirds of the Senate. To circumvent partisan gridlock, in particular the anti science stance of Republican lawmakers, Obama is looking to craft a political agreement rather than a binding treaty. Republicans in the senate (alongside a handful of fossil fuel Democrats) will never ratify such a treaty. The sad reality is that these lawmakers, who represent less than 10 percent of the American population, have the power to kill a binding treaty.

This political agreement is being sought ahead of the December 2015 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (IPCCC) meeting in Paris.

The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) has launched a sustainability training and education program for businesses and students. It will also provide companies with tools to start sustainability programs.

This initiative will meet the huge demand for such courses from the corporate sector, in addition to generating income for the non-governmental organisation.

Students and educators of all ages can use this free
interactive educational tool to gain a fresh perspective on our biggest
global challenge: our changing climate. Getting The Picture offers a
modern, interdisciplinary approach to teaching climate science.

Especially useful for middle and high school levels, this educational
content extends far beyond Earth science and biology and incorporates
history, economics, geography, art science and social studies.

Critically acclaimed photographer James Balog and his team bring you the latest in climate science education, featuring unique archives of media, film, photography and first-hand accounts of our changing climate.

In August, 8 winners were recognized for outstanding sustainable business practices at the 17th Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards, the region's leading environmental achievement awards. These 8 companies were acknowledged by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC).

The winners were selected from among 19 applications from organizations in Singapore and the region. A panel of experts selected the winners in six categories (manufacturing, services, technological innovation, and public sector administration).

The University of Colorado-Boulder is now offering online Non-Credit Certificates in Sustainability Management. This certificate is ideal for those wishing to increase their knowledge of sustainability and make tangible change in an organization. The content specializes in business or community sustainability management—or both.

This distance learning certificate provides interactive and practical programs lead by industry experts can help you learn how to develop sustainability initiatives, encourage stakeholder buy-in, and inspire employees and co-workers to act.

Climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts are helping to fuel the growth of stock markets. Investors are increasingly seeing the wisdom of factoring sustainability into their investment equations. The S&P 500 recently surpassed the 2000 level and surveys indicate that companies on this index are mindful of climate change.

According to a 2012 report from the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, almost 90 percent of S&P Global 100 Index companies identified climate change and extreme weather as current or future business risks. The growth of S&P mirrors the growth of the American stock market as a whole. One of the factors driving this growth is the increasing interest in sustainable investing.

Climate change is a serious threat but it also affords some significant business opportunities. According to a 220 page report by Environmental Business International (EBI), companies positioned to help clients prepare for climate change can reap major dividends. Climate change and extreme weather in particular will drive rapid expansion of adaptation work in both the private and public sectors.

For the next two years companies will see modest growth, primarily from adaptation assessments, but once the work moves into the design, engineering and construction phases the growth will begin in earnest.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

The Environmental Due Diligence, online course is being offered by Commonground University starting on October 13, 2014. This six week course covers approximately 30 hours. It provides the must-know information you need prior to conducting any type of environmental due diligence and includes Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), Database Reviews, and Desktop Reviews.

Make sure to see the article titled, "Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources."It contains links to over 200 articles covering everything you need to know about sustainable academics, student's eco-initiatives, green school buildings, and college rankings as well as a wide range of related information and resources.

Plastic products are the single biggest problem when it comes to back to school supplies. Consumers are increasingly concerned about products that are toxic to human health and environmentally unsustainable. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl) is a commonly used plastic that stands out as a particular hazard. PVC has been linked to cancer, asthma, developmental disorders and learning disabilities. PVC contains dangerous chemicals including phthalates, lead, cadmium, and/or organotins.

PVC is also a major source of dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals known to science. Dioxin has been targeted for international phase-out by a treaty signed by over 170 nations across the world. Both Congress and the President's Cancer Panel have called for greater regulation of such toxic chemicals in consumer product.

In a surprise discovery, hundreds of gas plumes have been found emanating from the seafloor. The plumes are thought to be methane and they were discovered during a survey of the US Atlantic Coast. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. The find was published on August 24th in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Monday, August 25, 2014

This two-day course on solar photovoltaics (Basic + Advanced) will take place on the 26th - 27th September 2014, at Edinburgh Napier University. It is also available online. The course is designed for technicians and individuals intending to learn how to install, maintain and repair Solar Photovoltaic equipment.

Participants of this course learn how Solar Panels work and gain a thorough understanding of solar PV systems, this allows them to apply for registration with an
Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

Make sure to see the article titled, "Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources."It contains links to over 200 articles covering everything you need to know about sustainable academics, student's eco-initiatives, green school buildings, and college rankings as well as a wide range of related information and resources.

Climate change makes us sick both physically and mentally. We often hear about the economic costs associated with climate change, however, the physical and mental toll is often overlooked. Research reveals that the adverse
impacts of climate change can have serious implications for people's
physical and emotional well being.

In 2012, it was reported that climate change was already killing 400,000 people each year. The IPCC WGII AR5 report published in 2013 has a chapter (PDF) that specifically deals with the health issues associated with climate change. Although the impacts of climate change on mental
health are just beginning to be explored, the initial research
suggests that it causes a wide range of psychological disturbances.

As people prepare to return to school, large sums of money are spent on environmentally destructive products. According to the National Retail Federation, the back to school spend is expected to be more than $26 billion in 2014.

In addition to minimizing purchases, there are a wide range of more responsible products available to consumers. Here are ten back to school tips that can save money, reduce energy usage and minimize environmental impacts.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Climate Ride NYC-DC will take place from September 20-24, 2014. Cyclists will ride from New York City, NY to Washington DC. From the exciting departure by ferry in Manhattan to the hero’s welcome and rally at the steps of the US Capitol, the east-coast version of Climate Ride is more than a bike trip – it’s an inspiring journey with 200 like-minded people who are united by their passion for sustainability, renewable energy, and bicycles - the ultimate carbon-free form of transportation.

The 2014 Climate Leadership Summit will take place on September 30 - October 3, 2014 in Boston, MA. This Summit is designed by Presidents for Presidents and Sustainability Staff in higher education.

The focus is on climate mitigation, resiliency, and regional and national collaborations will be discussed within the framework of: New Science and Solutions for a Changing Climate, Higher Education's Climate Leadership Imperative, Creating a Culture of Sustainability, Investment Strategies and Institutional Values: How, Why, and at What Risk? and Corporate Partnerships for Climate Leadership.

This event will take place on September 10, 2014 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., New York University School of Law, Lipton Hall, D'Agostino Hall, 108 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012
The Evolving Financial Landscape for Renewable Energy will involve .eading experts from industry, finance, and government. They will provide insights into the current financing landscape for renewable energy.

Some of the questions they will address include:

What new structures are emerging to support renewable energy development?
What financing barriers remain?
What changes in tax policy are anticipated?

This event will take place on August, 27 and 29, in Cape Town, South Africa. Stellenbosch University and the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Values have arranged a series of events to investigate how the concept of a Social Covenant can make a contribution to the improvement of society.

The objective of the event is to facilitate a discussion on how the concept of a Social Covenant can make a contribution to the improvement of society.

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Here is what Roli Mahajan, Volunteer in UN Major Group for Children and Youth in India, had to say about the importance of Local Consumption at the inaugural session of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) which was held from 19 to 21 May 2014, Pattaya, Thailand.

The APFSD discussions focused on "Green Transformation," they aligned with the theme of “Achieving the Millennium Development Goals and charting the way for an ambitious post-2015 development agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals”.

Here is what Meena Bilgi, Core Associate in Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture & Natural Resource Management in India, had to say about specifically Responsible Agriculture at the inaugural session of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) which was held from 19 to 21 May 2014, Pattaya, Thailand.

The APFSD discussions focused on "Green Transformation," they aligned with the theme of “Achieving the Millennium Development Goals and charting the way for an ambitious post-2015 development agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals”.

Here is what Oyun Sanjaasuren, Minister of Environment and Green Development in Mongolia, had to say about Green Schools at the inaugural session of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) which was held from 19 to 21 May 2014, Pattaya, Thailand.

Master of Science in Sustainability Management is a program designed to train and educate sustainability practitioners. It was developed by the Earth Institute and Columbia University's School of Continuing Education. The program draws upon the most sophisticated environmental measurement tools, cutting-edge environmental science, and world class management and policy studies to help students fully understand the systematic and organizational role of sustainability in any organization. This program provides practical training for students seeking to further their careers as sustainability professionals or transition into a sustainability field.

George Washington University is committed to building green. The school was the first in D.C. to sign the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment, agreeing to reduce its total carbon footprint by 40 percent by 2025. The university also has four green roofs, eight LEED-certified buildings, with six more targeting certification.

Conservative ministers are now prohibiting Canadian Ice Services (CIS) from disclosing their research findings. CIS scientists have been denied the right to hold a "strictly factual" press briefing on the catastrophic loss of northern ice. Under the Harper governments new rules CIS and other government researchers must secure nine levels of government approval. The latest attempt to share information paid for by the Canadian taxpayer has been vetoed at the sixth ministerial level.

The solar industry is booming but a looming shortage of photovoltaic panels reveals that there is a downside to the industry's prodigious growth. A glut of photovoltaic panels drove prices down sharply. The oversupply that drove the price decline forced some companies into bankruptcy and slowed capital investment. Now the industry is expecting the first supply shortfall since 2006.

Although there will be huge demand from small scale solar, particularly home based, suppliers may sell most of their supply to big customers. If utility-scale solar farms get priority this will be a serious limiting factor inhibiting the growth of rooftop systems.

The news is not all bad. The fact that production capacity is not keeping up with demand is causing some companies to expand. Companies that are already expanding or planning to expand in the near term include Canadian Solar Inc SunPower Corp. The gap between supply and demand is expected to narrow by the end of 2014 and this is expected
to lead to increased investments in advanced equipment.

This course will take place from November 3rd - December 12th, 2014. The instructor is Mahesh Bhave, Ph.D. This course helps students become knowledgeable participants in the evolution of microgrids. The intricacies of microgrid development and finance represents the future topology of the grid. What are their economics, how do they interact with each other and with the macro grid?

Microgrids represent an opportunity for new entrants, a threat for incumbent utilities, and a credible solution for emerging economies quest for 100% electrification. Navigant projects the market to grow from $8.3B worldwide in 2013 to more than $40B by 2020.

Home based solar, commercial scale solar and on-site solar for businesses are growing in the U.S. and around the world. US solar energy capacity grew 418 percent from 2010 to mid 2014 (2,326 megawatts to 12,057 megawatts).

Solar is one of the fastest-growing power sectors in the US and around the world. Over the last several years we have seen a 20 percent annual growth rate in the US solar industry. US solar power expanded by 100 percent in 2013.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

American University has adopted a number of initiatives designed to make the school greener. This includes a climate commitment, a sustainability plan, and sustainability policies. The University will be carbon neutral by 2020. They are home to the largest combined solar array in the District. They are dedicated to growing green power through their purchase of renewable energy certificates and they are a part of the largest non-utility solar energy purchase in the US.

The University has 10 green roofs and is also one of three universities in the world using the US Green Building Council‘s LEED Volume certification program. All new buildings are LEED Gold certified, and are many existing buildings have also achieved LEED certification. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized American University for its efforts to advance the development of the country’s voluntary green power market through purchase of renewable energy certificates.

Energy efficiency is inadvertently a central tenant of the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Clean Power Plan. The scheme will mandate substantial reductions in carbon emissions from US power plants. The net effect of this plan is that many power plants will be forced to close and efficiency efforts will go a long way to help address this energy shortfall.

The US is ripe for significant increases in energy efficiency as it is currently a laggard compared to the rest of the world. As reviewed by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) the US ranks 13 out of 16 countries in terms of energy efficiency policies and programs. The ranking is based on four categories, building, industry, transportation and national effort. The US received a failing grade with 42 out of a possible 100 on the ACEEE scorecard.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

This course on Electrics for Solar PV and renewable systems will address safety, instruments and controls. This intensive two-day course offers an exam for the Galileo Master Certificate. It is intended for professionals and individuals with a strong interest in the electrical equipment side of renewable systems, safety instruments and controls.

It will take place on the 24th - 25th September 2014, at Edinburgh Napier University. It is also available online with live tutorial.

One of the buildings at the University of British Columbia harvests and produces more energy than it uses. This emissions free net positive building has earned LEED platinum certification. The building is known as the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS), it employs innovative HVAC technologies including heat scavenging from neighboring buildings, it also generates power though dual renewable energy systems (solar and geothermal).

The four-story, 65,000-sq-foot CIRS building uses both photovoltaic electric and hot water solar panels. The solar panels are also dual use as they provide both energy and shade. The geothermal field supplies heat in the winter and cooling in the summer through an 118-kW and two 196-kW heat pumps. There is a backup 200 kW electric boiler that can also be used during periods of peak-demand.

In North America, wildfires are destroying vast swaths of forest and
creating massive plumes of smoke which extend across the continent and all the
way to the Mid-Atlantic.

In Canada, there are huge fires raging in B.C., the Northwest
Territories, and Ontario. As of August 6, a total of 3,840 wildfires have
destroyed over 3,508,582 million acres so far this year.
As of
August 12 there were a total of 41 large wildfires burning in the U.S. Ten in
California, ten in Washington and ten in Oregon. A total of eight fires are
burning in Idaho and three in Montana. The land mass impacted by these fires
totals 714,044 acres.

As revealed by a Climate
Central analysis, wildfires are on the increase. Their examination of 42
years of U.S. Forest Service records for 11 Western states shows that there are
now 7 times more fires greater than 10,000 acres each year and nearly 5 times
more fires larger than 25,000 acres each year. There are also twice as many
fires over 1,000 acres each year, with an average of more than 100 per year from
2002 through 2011, compared with less than 50 during the 1970’s. On average,
wildfires burn twice as much land area each year as they did 4
decades ago.

Driven by bottom line concerns, businesses all around the world are adopting sustainability. This includes lean manufacturing practices, cutting down on raw materials, decreased energy usage, waste reduction and recycling.

The trend towards sustainable business is evident in almost every sector of the economy. Manufacturers are increasingly adopting more environmentally sustainable methods that reduce costs and contribute to the bottom line. Supply chains are getting greener to meet increasingly stringent procurement demands. In fact, sustainable supply chains have become an imperative for a whole host of good reasons.

Two universities in the nation's capital have announced a 52 megawatts (MW) solar photovoltaic project. George Washington and American university's joint Capital Partners Solar Project, is a 20-year agreement that will substantially reduce carbon emissions at the two universities and the George Washington University (GWU) Hospital.

Effective operational metrics are an essential part of benchmarking and measuring progress. This e-book helps you to select the appropriate metrics across environment health and safety, sustainability, quality and more. Produced by LNS Research, in conjunction with MESA International, this e-book contains the detailed findings of the five-month, 2013-2014 Manufacturing Metrics that Matter research project.

This information-packed eBook answers many of the questions on business leaders’ minds today, including:

Finland has joined a number of other governments in adopting progressive climate legislation. Finland's new climate change act, will reduce emissions a total of 80 percent by 2050. Finland's Environment Minister Ville Niinistö said it will position the nation, "as a pioneer of low-carbon society."

The country's climate policy addresses regulatory uncertainty and provides a clear road forward for the business community. In addition to providing a predictable climate policy for business, it will also provide an impetus for low carbon research efforts.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

This free event will take place on Thursday August 21 to Sunday August 24, 2014, in Bridgewater, NS. The 6th annual Growing Green Sustainability Festival is dedicated to sustainability. It is a fun and colourful introduction to the idea that we can work together to ensure that all human and non-human communities are being sustained on the Earth. The Festival is organized by the Town of Bridgewater, the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, and many community volunteers, organizations and businesses.

Women In Green Forum will take place August 26th, 2014 at the Luxe Bel Air, Los Angeles, CA. The theme is Design Your Impact. Some of the issues that will be addresses include inspiration,greener transport, Sustainability Solutions and Technologies, Sustainability in the Built Environment, clean technologies, Sustainability and Innovation.

The first inaugural Companies and Causes Canada Conference will take place on October 28, 2014 at the Toronto Board of Trade. Gain insight and inspiration at this full day event. It will showcase best practices in corporate/cause partnerships, provide an opportunity to network with both corporate and nonprofit peers and teach you how to take your programs to the next level.